Some of you attended the 2010 ADS National Convention hosted by Ironstone Vineyards in Murphys, California. Yesterday, Ironstone Vineyards was designated as a “base camp” for fire engines and teams fighting the Butte Fire. Earlier, Ironstone provided support to the community by being a drop-off location for food and necessities for people who had to evacuate their homes. As of a few hours ago, over 65,300 acres have burned, more than 4,000 firefighters are working this fire and there is 25% containment. This fire started last Wednesday, the 9th.
Yesterday, another fire started above Napa Valley and unfortunately took off like a whirlwind. This fire is named the Valley Fire and after 24 hours, there are now 50,000 acres burned and more than 17,000 people evacuated. Unfortunately, this fire spread so fast that people were barely able to evacuate their homes in time to gather personal papers and some pets. The severe years of our drought are thought to be the reason this fire traveled so fast.
We have experienced close calls with fires near us and have rushed to pack our car with our most important items, marriage license, photos, pets, and computers. We have seen news videos of people in our area driving away while everything was burning around them. So we realize just how severe the Valley Fire is and understand how people barely collected their things and evacuated.
We are keeping our friends who live in these locations in our hearts at this time and praying for rain.
Ben & Nancy
This really brings it home to us, that the gorgeous flower-filled Ironstone Vineyards is now a base camp for firefighters. As I’ve always said, once you go to a couple of ADS conventions, you never watch the Weather Channel in the same way.
Loyce McKenzie
Nancy,
Thank you for sharing this information. Having been to Murphys twice I appreciate it as a beautiful part of the world.
Maybe not our members in this case but, from experience, I can assure you of how wonderfully supportive the daffodil world is when disaster occurs and our members are involved.
Dave
Nancy
Unfortunately bush fires a part of life here in Australia and I believe some of our firefighters are over in the US fighting your fires. I hope the fires are brought under control without people losing their lives. I also hope the big trees are not at risk from the fires. My wife and I enjoyed our trip there as it was quite beautiful. Our eucalypts regenerate after fires but most conifers don’t so it must take a while to rehabilitate after the fires.